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Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
11
Location
South Florida
Hello all - I was invited by AmtrakBlue after mentioning a desire to get info on a new area of the country. She graciously asked and got some replies for me and so here I am.

I am total deaf, married, have 2 wonderful teenagers and am a primary caretaker of my mother.

We currently live in South Florida and are planning a move to Upper Northwest Washington State. It will be a few years (likely 5) before we can get there. We have obligations here that we have to complete first. By the time we can go, husband will be either retired or within 1 year of retirement. I am on disability.

We are looking at the Forks WA area and have researched a lot of places in WA. We need low crime, low sex-offenders (as best as possible), low housing cost and plenty of fishing and such. Very little snow and sun. We do not mind rain or wet conditions. When we get there, we most likely will have 1 dog at least and if all goes as planned, he will be a service dog. Have to double check the breed specific laws to make sure I will not have a problem. He is an American Bulldog and is my profile picture. That is Deacon.

When we travel up there to check out the area, we are planning on our first ever train trip. Hubby is afraid to fly.

If you'd like to know more, feel free to ask.
 
:hi: Welcome, and as Dave said, nice Dog! I'm curious as to why someone from Florida would want to move to the NW where the Winters are Cold, Rainy/Snowy and somewhat Dreary most days! Of course when the Sun is out ( about 60 days a year!) it is Beautiful and a Great Place to be! Have ya'll considered Northern California, Oregon, Colorado or even Texas ( :eek: ), these states all have the attributes you say you desire and arent so Cold and Rainy in the Winter? (except Colorado in the Mountains can be Chilly!) We have several Members from all these states and sharing information (some of it is even True! :giggle: )is what this forum is all about! ;)
 
JimHudson - We can no longer take the massive heat. Colorado and Texas are worse than Florida for the heat. We do not mind, in fact we love cool and wet. The little bit of snow where we are planning will not be too much and better than what we had in Missouri.

When we thought all this out, we went with the following:

1. moderate changes in temperature (I have fibromyalgia and the constant temp changes from 60-90 in a 24 hour period just about kills me.)

2. small town with fishing possibilities

3. low crime and safe for our daughter (thinking sexual predators versus a daughter with learning disabilities)

4. very little sunshine for a son with skin issues and eye issues that makes the sun not wanted.

5. very little high temps as my fibro can't handle it and hubby and daughter have minor cardiac issues.

6. not much snow as we can deal with a little, but don't want heavy.

7. have family and friends in OR and don't like what we've seen (sorry OR folks)

8. have family in CA and definitely don't want to be there (sorry CA folks)

9. Lots of trees and lots of walking possibilities for exercise and such.

10. wanted a coastline, but NOT Florida. been here too long and hate it more and more.
 
:hi: Great reasons, sounds like Washington will fill the bill nicely! As I said we have several Members from Washington State and Im sure they will be happy to share info and unknown hidden Gems in their State! I do know that Western NW Washington is much Colder (and Hotter in the Summer) than the Western/Northwester Part! If it hadnt gotten so expensive Id say check into the San Juan Islands NW of Seattle, they are Exceptional in the Spring Summer and Fall! Of course Im sure there is plenty of info on the net also but actually riding the Train to the NW and seeing for yourself is, as the commercial says, Priceless! Look forward to your Posts and adventures finding your new home! ;)
 
Correction: The Eastern/NE Area of the State is Colder and Hotter than the Wester/MW Area! Sorry for the typo but wasnt on my home Computer and my Smart Phone (the Operator is Dumb!) wouldnt let me Correct the Post as a "Guest!"
 
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Correction: The Eastern/NE Area of the State is Colder and Hotter than the Wester/MW Area! Sorry for the typo but wasnt on my home Computer and my Smart Phone (the Operator is Dumb!) wouldnt let me Correct the Post as a "Guest!"
I kind of guessed what you meant. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I got my facts straight as to the reasons.

We have been watching youtube videos of the area and hubby actually said he wished his mother would hurry and kick the bucket. Not being mean. I told him to be reasonable and to remember that we have things to get done before we can go.

We will have:

Hubby who is currently 55

myself at 50

my mother currently 74

daughter currently 19 (learning disabled)

son currently 18 and

Deacon currently 19 months.

For the ride over to check it out, just found that it will be hubby, son and I. Will have to make arrangements for mother and daughter as neither cook.
 
Have in-laws who live on Puget Sound (and can view the EB with a 3 minute walk). Climate is very good for folks who need to avoid temperature extremes, but winters can indeed be dark and wet -- probably why the folks in those parts drink so much coffee.
 
Oh my gosh. Your dog is adorable! :) What a cute doggie.

I fell in love with Amtrak because my boyfriend hates to fly. I'd always wanted to take a train, so it gave me the perfect excuse. After years of living in two different states (Michigan and New Mexico), he moved here, and now we take the Southwest Chief together when we visit his family. We'd also like to take the California Zephyr and Empire Builder someday.
 
JimHudson - We can no longer take the massive heat. Colorado and Texas are worse than Florida for the heat. We do not mind, in fact we love cool and wet. The little bit of snow where we are planning will not be too much and better than what we had in Missouri.
When we thought all this out, we went with the following:

1. moderate changes in temperature (I have fibromyalgia and the constant temp changes from 60-90 in a 24 hour period just about kills me.)

2. small town with fishing possibilities

3. low crime and safe for our daughter (thinking sexual predators versus a daughter with learning disabilities)

4. very little sunshine for a son with skin issues and eye issues that makes the sun not wanted.

5. very little high temps as my fibro can't handle it and hubby and daughter have minor cardiac issues.

6. not much snow as we can deal with a little, but don't want heavy.

7. have family and friends in OR and don't like what we've seen (sorry OR folks)

8. have family in CA and definitely don't want to be there (sorry CA folks)

9. Lots of trees and lots of walking possibilities for exercise and such.

10. wanted a coastline, but NOT Florida. been here too long and hate it more and more.
It looks like Forks fits the bill for you, as it scores a 9 out of 10 on your list. The 10th is the fact that Forks isn't right on the coast, but about 15 miles inland. It's right near the Hoh rain forest, with about 110 inches of rain annually. Heat and sun are rarely a problem, and neither is snow or wide-ranging temperatures. Population is about 3500 and the crime rate is low. And there is great steelhead fishing nearby. The name of the town comes, in fact, from the forks of 4 nearby rivers. And with all that rain, you can bet there are tall trees and lots of them. :)
 
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I'm sure you have valid reasons for looking at Forks. If having more medical access is important to you and the family, There are at least 10 towns along the southern Oregon coast that might serve your needs better. Brookings is known as the "Banana Belt of Oregon" It is warmer than most of Oregon in the winter and cooler in the summer.
 
I'm sure you have valid reasons for looking at Forks. If having more medical access is important to you and the family, There are at least 10 towns along the southern Oregon coast that might serve your needs better. Brookings is known as the "Banana Belt of Oregon" It is warmer than most of Oregon in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Thanks for the info. Medical isn't really a major concern. Mother does have a terminal illness and we are prepared for what we need. Mainly, she wants nothing and only has to have blood work checked every 4-6 months for now. Very simple. The cardiac issues are totally taken care of with the aspirin and diet, we just need to cut the heat. Husband's coronary artery disease was actually reversed and they find no traces of it now and it was done with diet. The cardiac issues they have is normal, it seems, for tall people. I should be under a doctor's care, but, since I am allergic to medicines, they can't help with with my fibro and such.

With having family in OR and CA, hubby wanted to be far enough away that they would not be on the doorstep that often and the one in CA finds that an 8 hour drive is just too easy and would be there. His family really made his life very hard, so he has as little to do with them as possible to maintain his sanity. It's very hard for him living next to his mother. Our lots right now are next door to each other.
 
Welcome kmbjjb, I was giggling when I read your post about hating Florida more and more.......my hubby and I can relate to that so much.....we don't hate FL but after 30 years, we were tired of the huge palmetto bugs, high humidity and the Hurricanes. When 3 hurricanes passed through the center of the state one year, we both agreed it was time for a change.......we love to swim and swimming with alligators was not real fun either. (The one thing we miss is swimming in the beautiful springs). We ended up moving to the beautiful upstate of SC.......mountains, beautiful lakes (with no alligators :p ) and very little snow and several Amtrak stations nearby so we are very happy. Hope all goes well with your future plans.
 
I can't stand humidity either. We're moving from Michigan to the San Francisco Bay area next summer. I know SF still has some humidity, but I sincerely doubt the summers are as sticky as they are in Michigan. It looks like they have fairly mild weather year-round. I really enjoyed our trip in June. It was warm enough for a t-shirt during the day, and then cool enough for a hoodie at night. That's perfect. Also, I don't think they get snow/ice, which was a HUGE selling point for me. :)

Seattle was my first choice, but B has a better chance of getting a job in his field in the Bay area. Plus, we have friends out there, whereas we don't know anyone in Seattle. (Though, I do have friends in Victoria, BC.) I like the rain in Seattle, but I fell head over heels for NorCal.
 
Sorcha:Nice plan, Winter Sucks in the North! ;) I guess you know that EVERYTHING is Really Expensive in the Bay Area, especially Rent and Housing Prices! Most people can't afford to Live in the City so commuting is a way of Life! I know a Couple that have a House in Sonoma but are still Texas "Residents" (they have a House on the Highland Lakes)for Tax Purposes! Such things as Car Insurance, Registration etc. are Very High in California and there is an Income Tax as well as Sales Tax and other various Taxes and Fees! :eek: !

Commuting is another consideration, if you can ride Cal trains or BART it will be a plus, the Bridge Tolls and Ferry Fares have gotten pricey also! Chances are you will have to Commute a Considerable Distance to work ( and even Oakland, Richmond and Martinez are getting Pricey as more and more People move to the Bay Area!)

The Best Weather Generally is in Sept. and and Oct. before the Wet/Foggy Cloudy Winter takes over! Mark Twain once said that the Coldest Winter he ever experienced was the Summer he spent in San Francisco! :giggle:
 
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Yeah, we've been checking out lots of areas. If B gets a job in the city, we'll live in Berkeley and use BART to get to the city. If he gets a job in Silicon Valley, we'll look for places near San Jose or Sunnyvale.

Sorry to move the topic to SF. I really didn't mean to. :) I was just agreeing that living in "extremes" really sucks and I'm ready for moderate weather, like kmbjbb.
 
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Thanks all - we are looking forward to it.

We know that most would not consider going to that area and it's not a good fit for most, but I like that we are different and in some people's eyes "a little odd". My husband is a firm believer that to make things work in a town that is going down, it take people who are willing to help. Now, maybe Forks is beyond help in some people's eyes, but I really don't think a town is nonredeemable. One big help is to become active and participate and with a larger city, it's harder to do. Maybe we are thinking wrong, but I'd like to think we can only try.

This forum has been very supportive and I am truly thankful. I know there is a lot of time between now and when we can go, and a lot can happen in that time, but hubby is already looking at ways he can help. My daughter, while not really wanting to do this, has thought she's like to open an animal shelter if there's a need. This is something big for her, as she normally stays to herself and works with beads for therapy or plays computer games. My son says it will be so much better for him that he can finally enjoy the outdoors again. Four years staying cooped up inside is not good and he's done this from ages 14-18 already. The only one I truly worry about is my mother. However, she is looking at this as her last grand adventure. She says, if she dies shortly after getting there, she is prepared. If she lives for another 20 years, she's prepared. She is getting warm clothing for herself and preparing the best she can. She was raised in Northeastern Ohio. She has lived with us for the past 20 years. This, she can handle. I have already spoken with her doctors today. They think it will be great for her and will begin getting her files totally up-to-date (they already are) and will provide us with digitized records and will also forward the same records up there. They will work with her insurance company to get her the right doctors for her care. I spoke with hubby's cardiologist this morning. He said that hubby was released except for once every 3 years a heart catheterization, but, since he's doing so well, he's not worried. He will do a full work-up before we leave.

Thank you everyone!!

Oh, Deacon says thanks for every one thing he's so beautiful. He likes to think so as well. And, in case I did not mention it. Deacon is in training to be a hearing assistance dog. He already has taught himself to do some balance and mobility help for me.
 
:hi: Ya'll sound like the kind of people that make Great Neighbors! Keep us posted on your plans and hope ya'll get to ride some Trains along the way before the Big Move!
 
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Thought I would update. Just heard from the Chamber and the town is dying and does not look like it will fare well anytime soon. New foreclosures and such. We were advised to check more into Sequim as they felt it would fit our needs as well. Have to talk with hubby, but that will be tomorrow. He is getting ready for his overnight job.
 
I'm kind of surprised Forks doesn't have more business, especially from tourism. Those ridiculous "Twilight" books/movies are set there.
 
I'm kind of surprised Forks doesn't have more business, especially from tourism. Those ridiculous "Twilight" books/movies are set there.
From what I've read and heard, most of it has died down. They do have a celebration with parade in honor of Bella's birthday and they do have a "Stephanie Meyer" day. I read that one of the main businesses that was all Twilight related recently (within the last 4 months) burned down or had a fire or something. The building itself is up for sale. They do still try to hold tours, but not as many people are coming anymore. Other than that, I don't keep up with the Twilight happenings as that wasn't any part of my considerations. We like the movies, but preferred the books.
 
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